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Converting downloaded 3D DWG files

Anonymous

Converting downloaded 3D DWG files

Anonymous
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Hello!

 

I know next to nothing about AutoCAD, and even less about its 3D functions. The most I use it for is to get measurements from house floorplans and elevations. But often, I download 3D models provided by furniture companies to make sure they're the correct scale and all for our interior renders. They usually have 3D dwg files as an option, but I almost always need to clean it up some in Blender before I can use it. The problem there is, I'm very limited on what file formats both AutoCAD and Blender will work with. The only two options I seem to have are DXF and STL, but I always have trouble getting them to work properly. The DXF files only import bits and pieces at random, and trying to convert it to an STL is hit-or-miss because the models aren't always watertight. 

 

Is there a good standard practice for this that I'm missing? I can't even tell what kind of 3D data the model is by default, because most of the time it tells me the models can't be converted to a mesh, solid or surface. I'm attaching the current file I'm fighting with, in case you need to see it for specifics. I'm working in AutoCAD 2022, and have access to both Blender 1.92 and 1.93

 

Thank you in advance!

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pendean
Community Legend
Community Legend
>>>>..because the models aren't always watertight...<<<
That's common with free content, and you cannot control the quality: you will have to deep-learn one or both programs and fix these types of errors yourself.

>>>...and all for our interior renders...<<<
Or you could actually better software for your ultimate task, explore here if you want to stay with Autodesk https://www.autodesk.com/solutions/3d-rendering-software
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Anonymous
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I know Blender pretty well, but that doesn't help much if I can't get the model to export from AutoCAD. As far as I can find, there's no plugin for Blender to open 3D CAD files natively aside from DXF formats.

I work for a large company, so changing our entire workflow for one relatively minor problem that only I would benefit from isn't really an option. I'm the only one who knows how to rework and make custom 3D models, our primary program is Chief Architect which does a lot of the work for you.
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pendean
Community Legend
Community Legend
>>>...our primary program is Chief Architect...<<<
That's the software you need to use 100% of the time then.

FWIW you will have to rebuild your free web content and fix them to the best as you can in whatever program you want to use. Free web content from furniture vendors is usually garbage in my experience.
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peterm
Collaborator
Collaborator

The problem is that the majority of free 3D DWG files out there have been created in other software rather than AutoCAD. This often results in very crude meshes, or bits missing that haven't translated properly.

For the best result, you need to go direct to the manufacturer. They will most likely have Revit, 3DS or DWG files.

Attached is an example of our CAD block which have been created in AutoCAD.

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Anonymous
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The files in question are usually directly from the manufacturer, but even the DWG files don't always export properly or consistently. Since I made this post I've found that exploding the models before I export helps sometimes, but still not always. I'm having trouble getting the file you attached to convert for Blender, too. It either gives me an error, or acts like it imported but nothing is there. 

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Anonymous
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The problem with only using Chief is it likes to triangulate every model it touches, which can sometimes result in broken geometry. Models from the manufacturer also aren't usually optimized for rendering in general, so I typically have to use Blender to clean up the model some, or at least use it as a template to remake the model myself. 

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peterm
Collaborator
Collaborator

Try one of these.

They're all done by either exporting or save-as from AutoCAD.

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Anonymous
No aplicable
The STL file imported, though for some reason it was gigantic. The DXF was empty like all of mine have been. Blender doesn't have import options for IGES or SAT, unfortunately.
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